Widely known as the "Dear Abby" of nonprofit leadership, Joan works with board and staff as a strategic advisor, crisis manager, change agent and strategic planner. Joan also teaches at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on nonprofit communications and leadership.

The picture frightened me, Joan. But it’s a great point and very true. How do you avoid talking about politics and religion (which should be the rule at most family dinners) at a staff meeting? Also, at some point there will be more than one conversation happening at one and there will be that one person who take the discussion off on a tangent no matter what….

Oh the good old days of Nabisco! We ALWAYS had a box of Oreos or some kind of cookies on the table … best company store, ever! 🙂

Richard

Someone will talk too much and not listen, someone will be inspiring, someone will sulk, some will say really smart and helpful comments, someone will be testy and I’ll think how fond I am of all of them and how grateful I am to be working with them (and you) all to build a movements for justice. (Happy Thanksgiving)

Laura – great addition. And thanks for the compliment. Next time you need social media strategy and web design, go hire http://www.abstractedge.com immediately. The graphic is good because they really ‘get me.’

Joshua – there is something quite profound in this one as it relates to working in a nonprofit. Discussions often center around being under-resources rather than on the abundance of possibilities.. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lori

Someone will obsess about the flowers and place settings….Great image!

Susan. The “plate” metaphor is often used at staff meetings. Folks spend way too much time complaining about what is on their plates and paying much too much attention to the plates of others.Very good one indeed. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Kathy Zappia Gould

Someone will rehash the same things over and over again and never come up with solutions. I love it Joan! Happy Thanksgiving!

We will share things we are grateful for and proud of…thankfully our staff meetings are fun and rewarding!

Liz Moore

Six hours getting ready, 23 minutes to eat, two hours cleaning up, and then a nap. Followed by standing in front of the refrigerator pretending we’re not eating more pie. I LOVE the picture. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sheree Allison

Do I have to go?
It’s just the same ‘ole same ‘ole.
And remember, I don’t like turkey.

I’ll wait and have leftovers at the water cooler tomorrow,

lisaMmolloy

Someone asks for the turkey. Turkey is put on their plate. They then whine and say that they asked for the ham.

Kate

Someone new will come, proud to have been invited. She’ll proudly bring something she’s slaved over all week. An old-timer will take one look, turn up her nose, and declare that we don’t need any of that new-fangled stuff.

Liz Moore

Six hours getting ready – 23 minutes actually eating – two hours cleaning up the mess. Followed by a nap and standing in front of the open refrigerator door pretending we’re not really going for more already. Happy Thanksgiving – and GREAT picture!

Suhag Shukla

We’ll all be vegetarians, “convincing” one another of all that is good and just about vegetarianism (and bad and awful about the other guys) on our vegetarian echo table.

Bonnie

No one is ever happy with the menu.
Someone will INSIST on helping.
Everyone will disappear when the real work begins

Jen C.

Lots of laughs! I love my family and the people I work with. I’m very blessed.

Mark Flora-Swick

It is the time for Turkeys, Candied hams and Festive nuts! But enough about my family! Or staff!

Valerie

Someone will say the same story that everyone has heard year after year, someone will share a story that no one will really be listening to and someone will tell a joke that will fall flat

blawton

If it goes on too long, everyone will be asleep.

Bob Wright

There are too many “cooks” (who really don’t know what they’re doing) in the kitchen.
Everyone has their own idea about how to carve the turkey.
It will be deja by all over again next year.

Nicki Anderson

Points of awkward silence followed up by, “Does anyone want any more mashed potatoes?”

You’re not quite sure if drinking will make things better or worse!
And as a remote employee, I will add, you see people you haven’t seen in a long time, some of whom you sincerely love and it’s refreshing to your soul.

Amy Kibler

Dinner will be late. Again.

Amy ‘Dessain’ Scavezze

There will be parents judging other parents for how they raise their children and run their household

Heather Bland

Some of the people you wish were there aren’t. Things (i.e. green bean casserole) might not be done the way I’d do them, but I trusted someone else to do them…and it turned out tastier than if I’d done it.

Susan Pope

Everyone wishes we were just having a grilled cheese sandwich.

Bob Mersereau

Someone like Joan will add a fun question to the table conversation that will result in those gathered knowing and appreciating each other more.

Jeannie Gracey

It’s always better with alcohol!

Amy

There’s a ton to be grateful for, a common bond that joins us all together, and a lot of laughter!

Kat

Someone older will insist on bringing “the family’s favorite sweet potato dish” that no one likes anymore. One of the “youngsters” brings the Tofurky that no one likes either. The CEO brings the turducken because (as she’s been told by her assistant) based on research and experience, it’s what most people want. In the end, everyone gets drunk, has a fabulous time, and no one remembers what was eaten because the CEO gave out bonus checks!

Kat

By the way, love what you did with that picture, Joan!

Robin

Someone (usually me) tries to be overly inspirational…and is received with major eye-rolling. 🙂

William Legge

Sadly, Joan Garry wont be there, but it would be better if she was! (Both thanksgiving and our next staff meeting)

Dacia

Someone will be over dressed and someone will be underdressed.

Marcie Miller

There’s always that one person slaving away in the kitchen and feeling put upon because she’s doing ALL the work! She could be out enjoying herself, but that would make her righteous irritation moot.

CS

There will be eye rolling. One group will gang up on another. Someone will be too busy to be there. Almost everyone will walk away feeling like they weren’t heard, especially those who didn’t speak up. And then, like gluttons, we’ll do it all over again the following year (or week! or day!).

Todd Bartlett

Somebody will show up after the stated time for dinner. Also, some will be present to the reason we are together and some will be distracted.

Joan Baldwin

Women will cluster post-meal (or meeting) to parse what went on while clearing the table and cleaning up. Men will leave deep in conversation about weighty matters (or sports).

Elsa

You’ll put more on the plate than you can handle, and then be sick to your stomach.

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Joan Garry is a non profit consultant with a practice focusing on crisis management, executive coaching, and building strong board and staff leadership teams. She is also a professor at the Annenberg School for Communications at UPenn.